Surely the death of Christ requires this, and calls for this: many other motives we may draw from Christ, and many other motives are laid down in the Gospel, and indeed the whole Gospel is no other thing than a motive to draw man to God by the force of God's love to man; in this sense the holy Scriptures may be called the book of true love, seeing therein God both unfolds his love to us, and also binds our love to him; but of all the motives we may draw from Christ, and of all the arguments we may find in the Gospel of Christ, there is none to this, the death of Christ, the blood of Jesus: is not this such a love-letter, as never, never was the like? read the words, For his great love wherewith he loved us, Ephes. 2.4. or if you cannot read, observe the Hieroglyphics, every stripe is a letter, every nail is a capital letter, every bruise is a black letter, his bleeding wounds are as so many rubrics to show upon record: Oh consider it, is not this a great love? are not all mercies wrapped up in the blood of Christ? it may be thou hast riches, honours, friends, means, Oh but thank the blood of Christ for all thou hast; it may be thou hast grace, and that is better than corn, or wine, or oil? Oh but for this thank the blood of Jesus, surely it was the blood of Christ that did this for thee; thou wast a rebellious soul, thou hast an hard and filthy heart, but Christ's blood was the fountain opened, and it took away all sin, and all uncleanness; Christ in all, and Christ above all, and wilt thou not love him? Oh that all our words were words of love, and all our labour, labour of love, and all our thoughts, thoughts of love; that we might speak of love, and muse of love, and love this Christ, who hath first loved us, with all our heart, and soul, and might! what? wilt thou not love Jesus Christ? let me ask thee then, whom wilt thou love? or rather whom canst thou love, if thou lovest not him? if thou sayest, I love my Friends, Parents, Wife, Children; Oh but love Christ more than these; a friend would be an enemy, but that the blood of Christ doth frame his heart; a Wife would be a trouble, but that the blood of Christ doth frame her heart; all mercies are conveyed to us through this channel;
Surely the death of Christ requires this, and calls for this: many other motives we may draw from Christ, and many other motives are laid down in the Gospel, and indeed the whole Gospel is no other thing than a motive to draw man to God by the force of God's love to man; in this sense the holy Scriptures may be called the book of true love, seeing therein God both unfolds his love to us, and also binds our love to him; but of all the motives we may draw from Christ, and of all the arguments we may find in the Gospel of Christ, there is none to this, the death of Christ, the blood of Jesus: is not this such a love-letter, as never, never was the like? read the words, For his great love wherewith he loved us, Ephes. 2.4. or if you cannot read, observe the Hyeroglyphicks, every stripe is a letter, every nail is a capital letter, every bruise is a black letter, his bleeding wounds are as so many rubricks to shew upon record: Oh consider it, is not this a great love? are not all mercies wrapt up in the blood of Christ? it may be thou hast riches, honours, friends, means, Oh but thank the blood of Christ for all thou hast; it may be thou hast grace, and that is better than corn, or wine, or oyl? Oh but for this thank the blood of Jesus, surely it was the blood of Christ that did this for thee; thou wast a rebellious soul, thou hast an hard and filthy heart, but Christ's blood was the fountain opened, and it took away all sin, and all uncleanness; Christ in all, and Christ above all, and wilt thou not love him? Oh that all our words were words of love, and all our labour, labour of love, and all our thoughts, thoughts of love; that we might speak of love, and muse of love, and love this Christ, who hath first loved us, with all our heart, and soul, and might! what? wilt thou not love Jesus Christ? let me ask thee then, whom wilt thou love? or rather whom canst thou love, if thou lovest not him? if thou sayest, I love my Friends, Parents, Wife, Children; Oh but love Christ more than these; a friend would be an enemy, but that the blood of Christ doth frame his heart; a Wife would be a trouble, but that the blood of Christ doth frame her heart; all mercies are conveyed to us through this channel;
